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Developing Healthy Eating Habits Amongst Kids

Submitted by Sharon Hopkins on October 25, 2010

Develop eating habits in kids

Studies have shown that obesity is an increasingly big problem all over the world and the fact that the next generations are also heavily impacted means that a number of countries have chosen to consider the condition a pandemic. Obesity is primarily down to two main factors – eating the wrong kinds of food as well as a lack of exercise to help burn any of the excess calories that are ingested. Consuming the wrong kinds of food is an understandably common problem because of the fact that most of us lead very hectic and fast paced lifestyles. As a result, our increasing reliance on the convenience of fast foods like burgers and hotdogs is extremely worrying.

These foods contain absolutely no nutritional value and a simply packed with empty calories that serve no other purpose other than being converted into fat cells on consumption. Kids healthy eating is an important part of family nutrition.


You would need to feed your child with healthy foods rather than foods that are likely to put him or her at a higher risk of developing other conditions that are directly linked with obesity. Such conditions would include heart failure as well as chronic respiratory diseases and high blood pressure as well as cholesterol levels.

Moreover, the fact that children are in a state of growth and development means that any effective kids healthy eating will specifically target getting maximum advantage out of the foods that you are providing your child.


This would also ensure maximum body development. This can be substantially aided by getting intense and regular physical workouts through a variety of sports. When developing any kids healthy eating diet plan, it is important to remember that children will tend to get bored of the same taste very regularly.


This would leave them disinterested in the food they eat and so you would need to keep food as interesting and novel as possible without really cutting on their nutritional value. One of the most important aspects of kids healthy eating is to ensure that you manage control over the child’s appetite as eating too much is probably one of the biggest causes of obesity. There are a number of kids healthy eating tips, kids healthy foods, kids healthy diet plans that can be found on the internet or even in the health section of your local bookstore.


These tips could also give you a number of ideas and guidelines in ensuring that your child eats the right kinds of foods.

Kids Healthy Foods

It is quite natural for any child to dislike new kind of food right away. It may take 10 or more tries getting a child to accept a new food. It is essential for parents to behave patiently if you want your child to eat right and healthy. For overall growth and development, parents should offer kids foods from each of the food group.

Some ways to develop your child's healthy approach towards eating

- Cut down on the amount of fat in your family's diet. Include low fat dairy products, lean meat, fat free cereals or breads.

- Avoid restricting sweets or desserts. Fat, salt, sugar have a moderate place in our diet. Don't curb them completely. Just teach your child to take small portions of it.

- Make or keep wide variety of healthy foods ready at home to be eaten as snacks. Do allow occasional indulgence of chips, colas and cookies.

- Eating slowly helps to detect hunger and fullness better. Encourage your child to eat slowly.

- Eating meals together with family helps children. Meal time with family can be pleasant with free flowing, light hearted conversations about the day, etc.

- Activities like shopping for food and preparing meals are fun time for children. Both, parents and children learn about each other's food preferences and enjoy the time spent together.

- Eating meals and watching TV at same time makes it difficult to pay attention to the hunger and may lead to overeating.

- Sending children to bed without eating food may give them the impression that they will have to go hungry. So they may try to eat whenever they get a chance. Avoid using food as punishment.

- If your kid is having lunch at school, find out more about the lunch program. If you pack your child's food include variety of foods. While dining out, pick healthier items.

- If you as parents eat healthy nutritious food, your child tends to learn and pick up similar eating habits. Set a good example by eating variety of nutritious foods and snacks. Teaching your child healthy eating practices early in life will help develop an approach to eating food with right attitude.

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